Using Microsoft® Excel® 2010

8. Filtering and Consolidating Data

This chapter shows you how to use Excel’s filtering functionality to look at just the desired records. It will also show you how to create a list of unique items and consolidate data.

Filtering and consolidating data are important tools in Excel, especially when you are dealing with large amounts of data. The filtering tools can quickly reduce the data to the specific records you need to concentrate on. The consolidation tool can bring together information spread between multiple sheets or workbooks.

Preparing Data

To make the most out of Excel’s filtering capabilities, your data should adhere to a few basic formatting guidelines:

• There should be no blank rows or columns. The occasional blank cell is acceptable. ...